Join the RISE fellowship

Charleston RISE holds two cohorts each year. The spring cohort begins in February and the fall cohort begins in August. Cohort members are called “fellows” and they participate in an intensive 30-week, two-part program.

The first half of the program is 15 weeks long and consists of a weekly training program designed to give the fellows a strong foundation on community education issues through guest speakers, data deep dives and crafting advocacy campaigns.

The second half of the program is 15 weeks long and fellows convert their passion for excellent schools and their newfound knowledge on educational issues into action for our students. They pioneer real-life team projects in the Charleston community that impact education at the grassroots level, producing change in community schools that benefit students in meaningful ways.

A common thread ties together the parent advocates of Charleston RISE: a commitment to encourage schools to foster best practices and explore innovative methods to better connect with the students they teach. It’s in this way that dynamic change takes shape for our kids.

Charleston RISE is a grassroots movement that has one goal: empower local parents to demand an excellent public education for all Charleston students. Charleston RISE does this by mobilizing Charleston County parents who have a clear passion for improving our education system.

Purpose

The purpose of the 15-week opportunity is to teach, through learning by doing community advocacy focused on improving our public education system. At the end of this program participants will have the skills, confidence and experience to drive change in their community.

Requirements

An interest in improving education for all children
Passion for advocacy
Eagerness to learn while doing

Commitment/Requirements

80%+ attendance at all scheduled meetings
Completion of weekly assessments
“Why Do You RISE”? (Telling your story via recorded video)
Participation in at least four (4) community events not hosted by RISE (School Board meetings, local community meetings, your child’s school PTA meeting, etc.)
Must be active on Facebook
Must be a resident of Charleston County or have a family member enrolled in a CCSD school